Foldable Vehicle Seat with Rotating Cam Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility vehicle drivers face challenges in accommodating additional passengers due to space constraints and safety regulations, as existing seats are fixed and cannot be easily removed or reconfigured to provide additional seating without compromising driver access or vehicle functionality.
Innovation Solution
A foldable vehicle seat with a rotatable backrest and seat part, connected to cam elements and leaf springs, allowing for three positions of use: a space-saving position, a sitting position, and a deposition position, enabling flexible use of space and easy installation/removal without requiring extensive technical knowledge or dismantling of the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed passenger seat is installed in the utility vehicle, then passenger transport capability is improved, but the driver's access to interior areas and the driver's seat is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The passenger seat is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be rotated between a forward-facing position (for passenger transport) and a rearward-facing position (for space-saving). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the seat to adapt its orientation based on whether passenger transport or driver access is the priority
Solution Approach 2:
The seat introduces a rotational degree of freedom around a vertical axis, adding a new dimensional aspect to its positioning. This allows the seat to face different directions (forward or rearward) while occupying the same footprint space, thereby providing passenger transport capability without permanently obstructing the driver's access to interior areas
2Volume of moving object
If the passenger seat is made foldable and rotatable, then space efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism and rotational mechanism are merged into a single integrated assembly. The seat back and seat cushion are connected through a common rotational axis that allows both folding and rotation operations, reducing the number of separate mechanical systems and simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining space efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables the seat to fold for space-saving, rotate to change facing direction, and lock in multiple positions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each operation, thereby improving space efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If the seat part and backrest are made foldable about a common axle, then ease of installation and removal is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is segmented into modular components (seat cushion, seat back, cam elements, leaf springs) that can be independently assembled and disassembled. The cam elements and leaf springs form a self-contained folding mechanism that can be installed as a unit, simplifying the installation process while the modular segmentation manages structural complexity through standardized interfaces
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a foldable vehicle seat, in particular for utility vehicles, with a backrest and a seat part, wherein the backrest is made foldable and is connected at least to a first cam element and the seat part is made foldable and is connected at least to a second cam element, wherein the two cam elements are arranged at a distance from each other in the width-wise direction of the seat and are arranged so as to be rotatable about a common axle extending in the width-wise direction of the seat, so that the backrest and the seat part are rotatable by at least 90°.